‘Dead’ terrorist alive, says Malaysian officer

The Philippine military has announced last February 2 that it has killed through an air strike Zulkifli, along with two other senior leaders of the JI and the Al Qaeda- linked Abu Sayyaf group.

Last March 16, Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, deputy head of the Malaysia police force’s counterterrorism unit was quoted last as saying that Zulkifli, alias Marwan,

Citing Malaysia intelligence, Pitchay said Zulkifli is seriously wounded and still in hiding in Jolo.

But the military maintained that Zulkifli is dead. “The AFP maintains its position that Malaysian extremist Zulkifli, who has a US$5 million bounty on his head, was killed in a recent Philippine air strike in Jolo contrary to reports that he survived the said operation and is still alive,” Burgos said.

“Although the AFP has not released a proof of the killing as it is awaiting the results of the DNA tests taken on the body parts left at the scene, intelligence reports from the field show he was one of the fatalities as the result of that bombing. This remains so unless a conclusive proof of life is shown by whoever is claiming that he is still alive,” the AFP spokesperson added.